Continued from here. All pre-match discussion of the appointment, play-by-play descriptions and post-match analysis of the officiating performance for this match belong in this thread. Analysis threads in this forum are strictly moderated. Supporters of participating teams are welcome and encouraged to participate. But all posters should take non-analytical posts to the group or rivalries forums. Thank you. World Cup Final Sunday, 11 July 2010 Netherlands v. Spain Referee: Howard Webb (ENG) Assistant Referee 1: Darren Cann (ENG) Assistant Referee 2: Mike Mullarkey (ENG) Fourth Official: Yuichi Nishimura (JPN) Reserve Assistant:
I think it was correct to play advantage, but Webb should have shown Puyol a yellow for tactical holding. Robben is not averse to embellishing a foul. He thought he had a better chance to score by staying on his feet, so he didn't dive. On Heitinga's yellow, Iniesta thought he'd have a better opportunity from a free kick so he went down, to get the call.
The only way to put an end to simulation is by awarding yellow cards through video replay after the match. During the match it is quite difficult for the match official to judge what is true impediment and what is simulation. The foul on Robben was true impediment and should have been called. Heitinga did make a weak effort to impede Iniesta and according to the rules Heitinga deserved a card despite not causing Iniesta's fall to the ground. Were a video review to be used, I would have also awarded Iniesta a yellow card. Of course in the WC final this will have no impact at all (other than possible suspension in the next FIFA sanctioned match were it to be a second yellow card) but could have an impact on group play. FIFA country football associations could implement this review during league or regional competitions (as most major leagues televise all matches). This would have a marked impact on cleaning up the game of all the diving (of course this is too rational and FIFA will never accept it)
Would you give Puyol a retroactive YK also? (that also wouldn't have any effect on the game at the time).
That one is perhaps questionable based on the extensive discussions so far, but probably yes. I think FIFA needs a thorough debate about how the game really ought to be played and the role video technology should play. I know that there is an appeal mechanism to have Red cards reduced based on video evidence (though they are seldom overturned) but they should go further.
That wouldn't have had any impact on this game. No one cares if they get a retroactive yellow after winning the World Cup.
That would mean that Puyol would have been sent off at that point which would have changed the game drastically. And, just for comparisons sake, what if a video review determined that Heitinga's second yellow was not deserved? Oh well, he was still sent off and you can't take that back. What do you do now, replay the match?
Questionable Calls by Howard Webb In summary, there is very little to complain about here. I thought Webb was nearly flawless in the first half. There were a number of other calls were debated, but I believe Webb can make a very good case for the route he took each of those cases. 42:00 Did Sneijder have a real chance to play the ball when he studded Busquets in the thigh? It could have been a yellow card, Sneijder only got a stern talking to. 46:46+ With 2 minutes of added time, Pedro fouls de Jong near the half-way line just inside Netherland’s half. Two Netherlands palyers, De Jong and van Bronckhorst, stand near the ball preparing to take the direct free kick. On Spain player stands two yards from the ball, another five yards. De Jong feints to take the kick, and Webb blows his whistle hard, preventing a quick free kick. The ceremonial restart is set up, and at 47:10+, van Bronckhorst puts the ball into play. Webb immediately calls an end to the half. Spain’s delay tactics worked; FIFA seems to offer no recourse for this type of play. See also the delay by Spain at 113:44. 49:23 Casillas makes contact with the ball as it goes by the goal mouth but is given the goal kick. This was difficult to see. 51:08 Alonso should have been called for a handball just outside his penalty area, at least by USSF standards. 74:38 Webb went ceremonial so he could talk to Sniejder, but did not appear to blow his whistle for the restart, instead giving an oral command. Perhaps he is “old school”. 77:34 Van Bommel should have been yellow-carded for a foot stomp in Iniesta that appears to be intentional. It would have been his second. Webb did not call a foul on the play, it would have been very difficult for him to see from over 10 yards away with his view blocked by two intervening players. However, he could not have missed Iniesta’s scream. Without the foot stomp, there is no foul. 82:33 Puyol holds Robben on a breakaway, he should have seen a yellow card, at least. It would have been his second. However, it would not have been easy for Webb to determine that Puyol’s hold did effectively allow Pique to catch up. 85:19 A foul should have been called on Ramos for kicking Robben although our view of the play was mostly blocked. 105:14 Heitinga deliberately fouled Torres after the ball is away, not called. Probably not yellow card material, but Heitinga is playing with fire. Did it contribute to his send off at 109’? 113:44 Netherlands is awarded a free kick above penalty area. Fabregas stands in front of the ball demanding it be moved a few feet, preventing any possible quick free kick. Webb, multiples times, askes Fabregas to retreat, and finally marches out the 10 yards. The kick is not taken until…. 114:50 Elia distracts Webb during the taking of a free kick by Sneijder, probably a deliberate effort by Elia to throw Spain off guard. Webb misses the deflection off the wall, presumably because of Elia’s distraction, and awards a goal kick. 120:14 A questionable handball call on Busquets. Questionable Calls by Efan Ekoku on ABC: In summary, Ekoku actually did better than I thought he was going to do after watching the first half hour. I know many agree with his call at 28:10. The conflicting calls at 22:20 and 55:26 are classic. 21:50 Van Bommel clears out Iniesta but only because Iniesta deliberately put his left foot far forward and planted his leg directly in the way of van Bommel’s path, blocking van Bommel’s otherwise clear path to the ball. “He's not trying to nip it front of Iniesta, he's trying to clean him out, he does, and deserves a yellow." 22:20 Ramos trips Kuyt without contacting the ball (slickly done by Kuyt) near the touch line, Kuyt goes down, the play is called dead as the ball rolls to the fallen Kuyt, and Ramos is given a yellow card. “Well, he could have waited a couple of seconds, and played the advantage, there’s minimal contact, Kuyt goes down.” There doesn’t seem to be any advantage for Netherlands. Compare this call to the one at 55:26. 25:15 Sneijder holds and pushes Sergio, a fairly clear cut foul. “That’s not a foul for me. He loses control, it’s good hustling from Sneijder out from De Jung, he just gets up, ’ I want a free kick, referee.’” 28:10 De Jong karate kicks Alonso. “No attempt to play the ball, at all.” 55:26 Heitinga fouls David Villa, but Webb plays advantage as Spain keeps possession, clearly signals advantage, but the ball is kicked immediately out of play. “Well surely he can’t yellow card Heitinga now. He didn’t blow for a free kick when he could see the incident. If he thinks that’s a foul hardware(?) why did he not blow the whistle straight away? Nobody blocking his view, pull the yellow straight away and book him. Don’t wait until you see uproar from the Spanish bench before you do something about it. (Pause.) And I don’t think Howard Webb really saw the incident, he was already turning away as the ball was played by David Villa.” 57:22 Iniesta whiffs on a ball at chest level and kicks Sneijder hard in the knee. “Minimal contact. Too many players right now rolling around on the floor.” 67:58 Iniesta was called offside. It was very close, but he WAS offside. “He’s onside, he’s even with van Bronckhorst.”